Mixed Signals
by BecAlora
Summary: Sometimes all it takes is being asked to dance. ASP/SM SLASH Written for the 2010 Hp NextGen Fest over at LJ.


**Disclaimer**: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's/Artist's notes**: Hi. This is my first attempt at slash. I really hope you find it satisfactory. It was written for the 2010 Hp_NextGen_Fest at lj.

**Mixed Signals**

Albus Severus sat at the table angrily. His date had bailed on him and he was stuck sitting alone with his cousin Rose looking at him with so much pity in her eyes that he wanted to punch her, not that he punched girls, but still. Who knew the gay community at Hogwarts was so…finicky? And maybe they weren't, but that didn't change the fact that Constantine Zabini had stood him up on his seventh year Valentine's dance at Hogwarts.

Albus had just recently discovered his sexuality after a game of truth or dare with Scorpius Malfoy and his cousins last summer. And though he showed great interest in Scorpius, Scorpius was more set on hanging out with Albus' cousin Dominique. He'd tagged along on a couple of their excursions, but after the fifth lingerie store he'd decided that he wasn't that gay and backed out when he was invited the next time. They hadn't invited him again and Scorpius had ignored him ever since.

Only there were times when he'd caught Scorpius staring at him in the library, classes, and the Great Hall. He didn't quite know what to make of these stares. They weren't exactly friendly. They were more invasive, like he was trying to figure him out or burn a hole through him with his eyes or something. And maybe he was trying to make Albus spontaneously combust, though Albus had no bloody idea why.

Feeling someone's eyes on him he turned to see his sister Lily and Scorpius looking at him and whispering in hushed tones. His face coloured. He didn't like that glint Lily had in her eyes. She was too Slytherin to trust a glint like that. He winced as he caught Scorpius' eye and noticed how heatedly he looked at him. That kind of look could be taken one of two ways: Either Scorpius wanted him, which was outlandish and impossible, or Scorpius wanted him to die, which was more likely.

Sighing, he got up to leave the Great Hall. He waved goodbye to Rose and Lily and headed out the doors, tossing the orchid corsage he had gotten Constantine aside. He headed up to the Gryffindor tower and fought back the water that threatened to spill from his eyes. Was there something wrong with him that Constantine couldn't even bother to show up with him? He banged his head against the wall. Why did he even try? It wasn't like he was a catch by any means.

Right as he was about to punch the wall someone grabbed his hand. Not wanting to look up and see who it was he examined the hand in front of him. It was pale, with long fingers, the kind of fingers you saw on piano players, and smooth. The skin was soft, probably the softest he'd ever felt, he definitely did not want to see who was holding his hand. There was only one person who had hands like that. He distinctly remembered hands like that ghosting over his back and face when he'd gotten his first kiss.

"You might not want to do that. I remember Dom telling me that the last time you did that, you broke your knuckles. Skele-Gro is not the greatest tasting stuff dear," an unmistakable voice drawled behind him.

Albus fought the urge to bang his head into the wall again. This was just igreat/i. Scorpius had ignored him all year and ithis/i was the time he chose to speak to him? When he had tears in his eyes and looked completely nutters? Just igreat/i. "Hello Scorpius." He refused to turn around and meet his eyes. "What brings you to this corner of the castle at this time of night?"

Scorpius chuckled and tried to turn Albus towards him, "I came to look for you. You didn't exactly look too happy leaving the dance just now."

Albus scoffed, still refusing to look at him. "You haven't talked to me all year and now you suddenly care."

Scorpius removed his hand from Albus', "Not like you've really given me any invitations to."

"I've given you plenty of opportunities to talk to me."

"When was I supposed to do that? When you were scowling at me in the corridors or when you were around that bloody arsehole Zabini?" Scorpius asked incredulously. "Besides you didn't exactly seem to be too happy to be around me the last time we were around each other."

"That was the summer! You and Dom were dragging me around like some token poof to every boutique you could get your hands on."

"We thought you would enjoy that!"

"I'm gay Scorpius. Not a bloody poof!"

Scorpius bristled, "And I am?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm not sure." He shut up quickly. The last thing he needed was Scorpius to hex him. He certainly had no idea what to say. He finally looked at Scorpius. He had a flower in his hand, "What is that for?"

Scorpius looked down at his own hand and rolled his eyes, "It's Viscaria. Lily had this book on flower languages and she said this should be the right flower to give you tonight, but you've left the dance. There's no point in giving it to you now."

"What does it mean?" Albus asked, suddenly feeling shy.

Scorpius blushed, "It means willyoudancewithme." He said quickly.

"What?"

"It means," Scorpius cleared his throat, his face a vibrant shade of red, "Will you dance with me?"

"Oh." Still clueless Albus pressed on, "Why were you going to give me that?"

Scorpius turned even redder, "I was intending on asking you to dance."

"As a friend?"

Scorpius scoffed, "No you bloody dolt. I was going to ask you as my date."

Albus was dumbfounded, "Why?"

"I know you're not that clueless Albus."

"I really can't see why you'd want to ask me to be your date. It's not like you fancy me or something," Albus rambled, suddenly very nervous.

Scorpius looked at him as if he'd grown another head. "Where in the world did you get that idea?"

"I don't know." Albus said quietly. "But, I mean, you don't do you?"

Scorpius' mouth dropped open. He looked at Albus for a long time, the silence deafening.

"Are you okay?" Albus asked.

Scorpius jumped to life and pulled Albus to him, whispering in his ear, "I've wanted to do this ever since truth or dare last summer." He then put his hands on both sides of Albus' face and kissed him.

Albus gasped, before melting into the kiss. It wasn't gentle like their last had been. It was hard and exploratory. It was like Scorpius had something to prove. As they continued to kiss fervently, Albus felt his legs give way. Scorpius held him up, unwilling to break the kiss.

When they broke apart, Scorpius smiled at him tentatively, "Was that okay? Did I make my point?"

"Absolutely."

Scorpius smirked and led him down the hall, "You know I've never been in Gryffindor tower. Want to give me a tour?"

Albus just smiled and pulled him along. "Absolutely. And one day you'll have to show me if the bed hangings are the same in the Slytherin dormitories as they are in Gryffindor."

"Deal." Scorpius smiled as they rushed towards Gryffindor. This was going to be a great.


End file.
